bass drum

N

nyak

Member
Hi,
how much power should I put on my bass drum hit...I think I m working to hard to balance my sound with the snare
when i watched video of pro drummer in mic situation i notice that their attack on the bass drum is very smooth, effort less

whats your thoughts on that...should i relax more and maybe mic the bass drum in rehearsal to achieve a more balance mix if i m attacking the bass drum less
 
you will wear yourself out 'attacking' the bass drum. Also, different techniques and music will require different touch right, so there is no one way power stroke. if you are in rehearsal with other people heavily amplified, then perhaps you are having to hit too hard to keep up to their sound level and should mic up.
 
This is a many-faceted question. Dynamics are extremely purpose driven. Obviously, when the situation demands a softer sound, you should play your bass with reduced intensity. When more volume is demanded, the opposite holds true. Is your difficulty one of interpretation or execution? Stated differently, do you not know what you should play in a given situation, or do you know what you should play but have trouble pulling it off? In the first case, greater exposure to musical dynamics will be helpful. In the second, improving your technique is the only route.
 
C.M. Jones said:
This is a many-faceted question. Dynamics are extremely purpose driven. Obviously, when the situation demands a softer sound, you should play your bass with reduced intensity. When more volume is demanded, the opposite holds true. Is your difficulty one of interpretation or execution? Stated differently, do you not know what you should play in a given situation, or do you know what you should play but have trouble pulling it off? In the first case, greater exposure to musical dynamics will be helpful. In the second, improving your technique is the only route.
Click to expand...
 
it s more how to play then what to play...assuming that the hardest bass drum hit you can pull off with heel up technic is 100%
what would you say is a normal back beat hit compare to that 100%
 
opentune said:
you will wear yourself out 'attacking' the bass drum. Also, different techniques and music will require different touch right, so there is no one way power stroke. if you are in rehearsal with other people heavily amplified, then perhaps you are having to hit too hard to keep up to their sound level and should mic up.
Click to expand...
 
that s what I thought... when I listen to myself or when record, I m well balanced but I m working hard with my right leg... I have to work with my technic that's for sure but in the same time, I think I developed a bad habit of overplay the bass drum to balance the snare in a groove
 
nyak said:
it s more how to play then what to play...assuming that the hardest bass drum hit you can pull off with heel up technic is 100%
what would you say is a normal back beat hit compare to that 100%
Click to expand...

Again, it very much depends on the nature of the backbeat. Are we talking fusion, light rock, or metal? Furthermore, no drummer plays in isolation. The intensity of his notes should be compatible with that of his fellow musicians. And even that suggestion is prone to variation; sometimes it makes sense for a drummer to take things up a notch while his band mates roll in a mellow fashion. Other times, the opposite can apply. It's really a matter of having an internal feel for what works and what doesn't.

Generally speaking, however, I can't think of scenario in which I'm drilling my bass drum at 100-percent capacity. Doing so would not only lack musicality; it would cause serious injury over a prolonged period. If you feel impelled to play that hard, either your band mates are way too loud, or your bass drum is way too muffled. I suppose a combination of the two could also be in place.
 
C.M. Jones said:
Again, it very much depends on the nature of the backbeat. Are we talking fusion, light rock, or metal? Furthermore, no drummer plays in isolation. The intensity of his notes should be compatible with that of his fellow musicians. And even that suggestion is prone to variation; sometimes it makes sense for a drummer to take things up a notch while his band mates roll in a mellow fashion. Other times, the opposite can apply. It's really a matter of having an internal feel for what works and what doesn't.

Generally speaking, however, I can't think of scenario in which I'm drilling my bass drum at 100-percent capacity. Doing so would not only lack musicality; it would cause serious injury over a prolonged period. If you feel impelled to play that hard, either your band mates are way too loud, or your bass drum is way too muffled. I suppose a combination of the two could also be in place.
Click to expand...
 
thanks for the input... It s not even about the band... I think it s just me that assume that I had to bang the bass drum to get a solid groove... I discovered recently that I get more bass out of the bass drum if I hit it with less energy... my sound was kind of chocked even if I play my beater from the head and dont have a lot of muffle in my bd
 
Quickly rebounding the beater with just regular force on the attack, on a minimally muffled bass drum with a full front head, IMO makes a more powerful sound from 20 feet away than burying the beater hard with a muffled ported drum. That's my definition of power but it may not be yours.

Miced bass drum versus live unmiced bass drum...different approaches too.

You should tell us if the drummer was rebounding or burying the beater in the video that you saw.

Are you a rebounder or a burier primarily?
 
nyak said:
thanks for the input... It s not even about the band... I think it s just me that assume that I had to bang the bass drum to get a solid groove... I discovered recently that I get more bass out of the bass drum if I hit it with less energy... my sound was kind of chocked even if I play my beater from the head and dont have a lot of muffle in my bd
Click to expand...

Yes, laying into your bass drum with violent intent can very much choke the sound, as well as bring out undesirable overtones. Enhancing your technique and developing a better feel for what a given musical application calls for seems just what the doctor ordered. Good luck.
 
For what it's worth......I'm not primarily a double pedal player, but my approach to my feet is the same as my hands.

I generally mirror any hand exercises with my feet.

I play my feet lightly, and apply a little more pressure to accents.

That kinda helps me get some nice power in my bass drum in relation to grooves without burying the pedal into the head and chocking the bass drum.
 
larryace said:
Quickly rebounding the beater with just regular force on the attack, on a minimally muffled bass drum with a full front head, IMO makes a more powerful sound from 20 feet away than burying the beater hard with a muffled ported drum. That's my definition of power but it may not be yours.

Miced bass drum versus live unmiced bass drum...different approaches too.

You should tell us if the drummer was rebounding or burying the beater in the video that you saw.

Are you a rebounder or a burier primarily?
Click to expand...
 
rebounder... it hits we right away s we when i saw jost nickel in a drumeo video... how sooth and relax the bass drum motion is...

then i noticed that with a lot of other drummers...thans for footcam…. watched gavin harrisson same thing very smooth to me
so it stroked me that i was over doing it...
i m curious about mic and unmiced bass drum...are you changing your way of playing when you are miced?
 
Benthedrummer said:
For what it's worth......I'm not primarily a double pedal player, but my approach to my feet is the same as my hands.

I generally mirror any hand exercises with my feet.

I play my feet lightly, and apply a little more pressure to accents.

That kinda helps me get some nice power in my bass drum in relation to grooves without burying the pedal into the head and chocking the bass drum.
Click to expand...
 
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